Can I say that the very own heart of Christianity is the Heart of Christ Jesus Himself? As a Roman Catholic, we receive This Heart of Christ in the Eucharist, physically and spiritually, to transform us to be like Him, to be an image of God.
The Eucharist is a miracle that happens every time we celebrate the Mass. Like what Christ did at the wedding of Cana, turning water into wine. In the Mass, Christ also turns the bread and wine into His very Own Body and Blood. In the Mass, we receive Christ spiritually, intellectually, and physically. Yes, Christ is not dead and is still performing miracles, for He is the God of all that is and isn’t. He is the God Who is still with us and eagerly waiting for us to come to Him, so that He can give Himself more to us.
The Eucharist, the very Heart of Christ, is sometimes taken for granted, ignored, or not given the reverence it truly deserves, even by those within the Church. It is a sorrow of the Church that the Sacred Mystery of the Eucharist is not always fully recognized or understood outside the Catholic faith. Often due to differences in belief, background, or spiritual formation.
The Roman Catholic Church is uniquely entrusted with the living Manna (the Eucharist), Who is Christ Himself and given by Christ Himself. This sacred gift was instituted by Christ and recorded in Scripture, preserved through apostolic succession, and made present in the celebration of the Holy Mass. The full reality of the Eucharist is found only in the Church Christ Himself founded, which has been handed down through the generations of humanity. This mystery cannot be found and will never be found anywhere else. As Scripture says, it is Christ Himself “who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.”
To be a resident of heaven, one must be holy as God is Holy. Holiness is possible only in Christ, with Christ, for Christ, and by Christ Himself, as He said: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” By receiving the Eucharist at Mass, we truly receive the Heart of Christ. And by allowing His heartbeat to become ours, we let His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.
Therefore, the Church founded by Christ Himself, which is the Body of Christ, matters. The Church is given by Christ for a reason. For us to know Him, to love God more deeply, and to be with Him as it is in heaven, even while we are here on earth.
May our hearts be like unto Christ as we receive Him in His Holy Sacrament of Love.
Note: This content is meant to encourage prayer and reflection. It is not an official statement of Catholic doctrine.